NORTH BERGEN – As the result of a month-long investigation, the North Bergen Police Department recently made 12 prostitution related arrests at various locations throughout the township. Spurred by a concern for the violent crime that prostitution often leads to, the investigation involved police monitoring websites like Craigslist and others for signs of impending illegalities. In total, 11 women and one man were arrested and charged with prostitution and several other offenses.

“Our department prides itself on keeping up with technology and being on the cutting edge of public safety,” said Police Chief Robert Dowd. “These skills were enormously useful here as our officers were able to monitor various websites in real time to ascertain the locations and times of impending criminal behavior.”

The arrests occurred at hotels, a massage parlor, and private homes. Prostitution, while itself illegal, is particularly troublesome to law enforcement because it tends to be accompanied by more violent crimes like assault and robbery. The NBPD’s crackdown on prostitution was done in an attempt to dissuade future criminality and protect quality of life in the township.